Stabilized mode splitting fin sensor

Abstract

An embodiment of a fin sensor is disclosed. The embodiment of the fin sensor has a base, the base coupled to a first fin and a second fin, the fin sensor further having at least two transducers coupled to the fins, the first fin being coupled to the second fin by at least one fin coupler.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) with a base ( 106 ), the base coupled to a first fin ( 108   a ) and a second fin ( 108   b ), the Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) further having a driving transducer ( 104   b ), and a sensing transducer ( 104   a ) coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) and configured to induce Coriolis responses therein, the first fin ( 108   a ) being coupled to the second fin ( 108   b ) by at least two fin couplers ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ). 
     
     
         2 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) is a rod shaped fin coupler ( 220   a ). 
     
     
         3 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) couples the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) at locations that are substantially the same on corresponding faces of the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ). 
     
     
         4 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) have fin protrusions ( 114   a  and  114   b ) that protrude through apertures in the base ( 106 ), the transducers ( 104   a  and  104   b ) being coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) at the fin protrusions ( 114   a  and  114   b ). 
     
     
         5 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the base ( 106 ) has an immersion side ( 342 ) and an external side ( 344 ), the fin protrusions ( 114   a  and  114   b ) protruding through the base ( 106 ) to the external side ( 344 ). 
     
     
         6 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the fin protrusions ( 114   a  and  114   b ) have corresponding segments, wherein corresponding segments are segments that at least partially align in a cross axis ( 131 ). 
     
     
         7 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the transducers ( 104   a  and  104   b ) are each coupled to two corresponding segments. 
     
     
         8 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein fin protrusions ( 114   a  and  114   b ) have corresponding segments, wherein corresponding segments are segments that at least partially align in a cross axis ( 131 ). 
     
     
         9 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the transducers ( 104   a  and  104   b ) are each coupled to two corresponding segments. 
     
     
         10 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) including a first fin coupler ( 120   a ) and a second fin coupler ( 120   b ), the first fin coupler ( 120   a ) coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) at a location upstream of a location at which the second fin coupler ( 120   b ) is coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ). 
     
     
         11 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing transducer ( 104   a ) is coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) upstream of where the driving transducer ( 104   b ) is coupled to the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ). 
     
     
         12 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , the base ( 106 ) being a varying base ( 306 ) that has varying hardness. 
     
     
         13 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 12 , the varying base ( 306 ) being thinner in the middle of the varying base than on the edges of the varying base. 
     
     
         14 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 13 , the varying base ( 306 ) having varying material composition along a cross axis ( 131 ) of the varying base. 
     
     
         15 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a balance rib ( 118 ) that is coupled to one or more of the base ( 106 ) and a base coupler ( 116 ), the balance rib ( 118 ) being configured to at least partially restrict motion of the base ( 106 ) in a vertical axis ( 151 ) along a middle portion of the base ( 106 ), the middle portion of the base ( 106 ) being a portion defined by the middle of a cross axis ( 131 ). 
     
     
         16 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a meter electronics ( 112 ) configured to transmit data representing commands to the driving transducer ( 104   b ) to drive the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) in one or more of an in-phase (IP) mode and an out-of-phase (OOP) mode. 
     
     
         17 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the meter electronics ( 112 ) is configured to receive signal data from the sensing transducer ( 104   a ) to maintain drive modes using a controlled feed-back loop. 
     
     
         18 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) is an element of neither the base ( 106 ) nor the driving transducer ( 104   b ) and the sensing transducer ( 104   a ). 
     
     
         19 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) influences the motion of the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) differently from the manner in which the base ( 106 ) influences the motion of the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ) and from a manner in which the driving transducer ( 104   b ) and the sensing transducer ( 104   a ) influence the motion of the fins ( 108   a  and  108   b ). 
     
     
         20 . A Coriolis mass flow sensor ( 102 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fin coupler ( 120   a  and/or  120   b ) is coupled to neither the base ( 106 ) nor the driving transducer ( 104   b ) and the sensing transducer ( 104   a ).